How 26 Black Designers Envision the Black Home of the Future

What better time than a year as tumultuous as 2020 to look to the future? In its Obsidian Virtual Concept House, members of the Black Artist + Designers Guild plan to do just that, exploring forward-looking living while also celebrating Black creativity. The house, set to debut in January, makes use of the creative talents of 26 members of the Guild, which was founded by Malene Barnett in 2018 to foster and celebrate Black talent in the design industry.

Although it's virtual, the Obsidian House has a precise sense of place: "The house is imagined and placed in the Oakland Hills of California in the year 2025," says BAD Guild member Leyden Lewis. "The west-facing structures frame and curate the light and views of the San Francisco Bay. While mindful of the rich, Black cultural identity linked to Oakland, the design is also mindful of the traditional practices of the indigenous people of the Bay Area, the Ohlone." Today, the Guild has unveiled the full list of creatives whose collective visions will bring Obsidian to life. Read on to hear about their plans for the house.